Chapter 32: When the conversation is cut off, let’s do ‘this’

My collaboration with Kurokami-senpai was set for September 16, three days later.

Since last week, Koga has been training to avoid mistakes during the collaboration, so now all that’s left is to wait. Of

course, Koga still felt anxious and worried, but I’m someone who performs better under pressure. There’s no way the

word “demon lord” will come up in this collaboration.

[【Membership Exclusive】So let’s practice our communication more. #Kainoiuzumi #StarsFlowy]

“Everyone knows from today’s announcement, but there are only three days left until the collaboration with Kurokami-senpai.”

Even if I think that way, it’s human nature to feel anxious.

In other words, I need to practice to avoid making mistakes until the very end.

• I really can’t believe Hikazumi will actually happen.
• We’re fine, but is Mei-chan okay?

“To be honest, no, I’m not okay… I really want to run away….”

• Sounds like that from the way you’re stuttering.

Of all the six senpai, it had to be Kurokami-senpai. While I watch Kurokami-senpai’s streams more than anyone else

after Nachan, that’s still from a viewer’s perspective, not a VTuber’s.

To be honest, if I were to collaborate with a senpai, I’d want to save Kurokami-senpai for last. It’s not that I find her

awkward. Through our recent chats, I realized how kind she is.

I just find the ‘collaboration’ with Kurokami-senpai a bit awkward.

It makes sense…

“Everyone says I’m similar to Kurokami-senpai, but in reality, we’re completely opposite…”

My personality, which doesn’t support RP, and Kurokami-senpai, whose situation doesn’t support RP. To others, it

might seem like we both have poor RP, but there’s a crucial difference.

• Ah, you’re very dedicated to RP. I think I understand what you mean.

That statement was accurate. Currently, most VTubers base their identity on their avatar’s role, using their

uniqueness as a weapon for broadcasting. In simpler terms, the avatar’s concept is merely the starting point for their

broadcasts, so even if a VTuber’s RP begins to break down at some point, viewer drop-off is minimal.

However, Kurokami-senpai remains very committed to the role of “a girl aspiring to be a villainess,” even though the

situation doesn’t support it. Can you believe someone who debuted in October of last year has maintained that RP for

eleven months without breaking it?

Her speech is always that of a noble lady, and no matter what happens in her content, she tries to act as a villainess.

It feels more like watching an early VTuber who prioritizes character concept and RP over the live aspect, rather than

a VTuber who uses their individuality as a weapon for their live broadcasts, like many do today.

In fact, many of Kurokami-senpai’s viewers are said to be fans of early VTubers.

…But it’s a bit scary that people who have been watching since those days are still tuning in.

• It definitely feels different.
• You always try to act like a “noble lady.”

Thanks to that chat earlier, it seemed people understood the meaning of my words.

“Yeah, those words are true…”

In other words, even if I don’t want to, there are times my broadcasts disregard RP quite a bit, which is the opposite

of Kurokami-senpai’s broadcasts, where she strictly adheres to RP.

“So, that’s why I started this stream for communication practice!”

My avatar, Kainoiuzumi, is set as a water deity interested in human civilization, attending a Japanese high school as

a lively female student.

What’s important here isn’t the water deity part but the high school girl aspect. To be exact, she’s an ultra-social,

lively high school girl.

“…If I really become a communication master and a top-tier socialite, everything will be solved.”

It’s too presumptuous to think that after nearly a year of maintaining her RP, Kurokami-senpai should adjust to me.

Thus, it’s only natural for me to adjust to her.

• But is that even possible?

I probably won’t be able to do it, will I?

If I were to compare it to a game, it feels like a stage set to be impossible to clear from the start.

But I can’t just sit still. Given my current state, I could somehow avoid a disaster, but that doesn’t mean the

collaboration would be successful.

From the viewers’ perspective, a boring collaboration equals failure. If the result of this collaboration ends up being

“not fun,” the greater risk clearly lies with Kurokami-senpai. Generally, the result of being “not fun” occurs when our directions differ, turning the fun into a negative.

This means I need to align our directions to some extent. So, even if I can’t aim for being a total socialite, I should at

least strive for being a quarter socialite…

Aim for it, quarter socialite…!

• So, what exactly is this communication practice?

“Hmm. First, I’ll show you the list of points Koga sent that I should keep in mind.”

I copied the DM that Koga had sent and pasted it into my notes.

[First: Don’t bring up the weather just because you have nothing to say.]

[Second: Don’t get lost in your own thoughts and interrupt the flow of conversation.]

[Third: Don’t talk about things only you know.]

[Fourth: When the senpai brings up a topic, listen and respond clearly.]

[Fifth: If it’s a gaming content, make sure both know it or that neither knows it at all.]

[Sixth: If you think, “Can I say this?” then just don’t say it.]

[Seventh: Skip questions that might put pressure on the senpai when reading the micaron.]

[Eighth: In a give-and-take situation, it’s better to ensure a clear exchange.]

[Thirtieth: Collaborations should be enjoyable for both parties!]

Koga had sent a list of a whopping thirty prohibitions. Well, the last one was just a supportive message, so there are

actually 29 practical points.

• At this point, isn’t Suzuhachi just Mei-chan’s mom?
• It feels like watching a child going on their first errand.

“I, I actually called Koga ‘mom’ after she sent this and got scolded….”

I got a sharp remark to memorize at least one more line instead of saying something strange.

Thinking that someone would care this much clearly shows maternal instincts, and I was wrong for thinking

otherwise.

“But isn’t this a bit much? No matter how much of an introvert I am with communication issues, there are so many basic points. Do you really think I’d bring up the weather…?”

I’m not some old gag manga protagonist; there’s no way I’d bring that up.

• It’s somewhat reasonable.
• I feel like Mei-chan could definitely do that.

“Don’t underestimate me!”

• Then what will you do if you suddenly have nothing to say to Kuu-chan?

“Umm.”

That’s a tough question. What should I do if that situation really occurs?

Ah.

“W-What if I ask about her ideal type?”

• Didn’t you already try that with Suzuhachi and fail?
• If Mei-chan asks, it’ll just seem weird.

“Ugh.”

It’s true that I already had a record of asking Koga about her ideal type, which made the atmosphere awkward. Was

becoming a quarter socialite such a difficult goal?

“Then, what on earth should I bring up?”

• I don’t know. Think for yourself.
• Don’t rely on others.

“You all are too harsh…”

• Society is originally strict.
• Isn’t living as an introvert much easier than being a socialite?

Conversations require skill, but if I don’t engage in conversation at all, there’s no need for skill.

This way, I wouldn’t need help from Koga or Izutomo anymore. Being a socialite seems like it could be incredibly

annoying…

“Then I’ll just live as an introvert….”

• The reason for starting the stream disappeared in just 30 minutes.

“You all made me this way.”

Blaming others.

• A VTuber passing their communication issues onto their viewers…
• This is 100% a disaster.
• After all, conversation skills develop naturally, so does this kind of special training even matter?

“That’s true…”

Then let’s just be satisfied with memorizing the list that Koga sent.

Well, aiming to be a quarter socialite might have been too ambitious for me…

• So, what can I talk about instead of the weather when I run out of things to say?
  “…I guess I’ll just talk about the weather!”
• Thus, Suzuhachi’s efforts went down the drain.
• It was too difficult of a request for Mei-chan.

“Well then, everyone, goodbye. Let’s meet again next time….”

Today’s conclusion: when the conversation stalls, let’s talk about the weather.

[Koga Suzuhachi: Isn’t that a strange conclusion?]

[Kaiono Izumi: I’m sorry…]

Today is September 15.

Which means tomorrow is the day of the collaboration stream with Kurokami-senpai.

And today is the day to decide on the content for the collaboration.

[Kurokami Hikari: Before that, I have something I want to say over the phone.]

Before I could even send that chatting is fine, a call request from Kurokami-senpai appeared on my miscode screen.

…I shouldn’t press the reject button, right?

In the end, I closed my eyes and pressed the accept button, and with a chime, the call connected.

“Ah, hello….”

[Yes, hello. First, thank you in advance for tomorrow, Izumi-chan.]

“I, I also appreciate it….”

Kurokami-senpai’s voice was slightly different from what I heard during the usual streams; it was a soft, gentle voice

that tickled my ears.

What she wanted to say was simply that during tomorrow’s collaboration stream, it’s perfectly fine for Izumi-chan to

do it in a way that is comfortable for her.

“…Huh?”

I couldn’t comprehend the meaning of her words and instinctively tilted my head.

[It’s just as I said. You don’t need to conform to my RP; you can do it in a way that’s comfortable for you.]

“Uh, um….”

What she said was something I had been contemplating for the past three days.

“B-but, the idea is to match our RPs thoroughly… like, our directions…”

My head started spinning.

And understandably so; she was saying it’s okay about the part I had been worrying about all this time.

It was clearly one-sided consideration from senpai.

While I felt happy about it, I also felt genuinely sorry…

“Uh, um, I’m sorry. It’s just that…”

My mind gradually went blank.

[I understand why you’re worried, Izumi-chan. I watched the members-only stream yesterday.]

“…Huh?”

Kurokami-senpai watched my members-only stream?

Heat rushed to my head, which had just gone blank.

Did I say something strange?

Let’s recall the content of the members-only stream from two days ago.

…Uh. The only thing that comes to mind is the conclusion that we should talk about the weather.

[One side is a broadcast that strictly adheres to RP, while the other uses RP as just one element. Problems can arise

from the differences in direction that stem from that. I certainly think that can happen.]

But Kurokami-senpai continued speaking.

[So, there’s no need to change your broadcasting style. In fact, thinking in the opposite way, the broadcast can be

even more interesting because it’s two contrasting people coming together.]

“…Um, mom?”

[…So it was true that Suzuhachi occasionally says strange things even during conversations.]

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